LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

After reading the article regarding MURA and the idea to open a skating rink to replace the old Greyhound station, I had to laugh.

After reading the article regarding MURA and the idea to open a skating rink to replace the old Greyhound station, I had to laugh.

Leave it to a government worker to want to spend our hard-earned tax dollars to open a skating rink, when there is a perfectly good family-owned ice skating rink across town. (The RRRink). This business has been built up over the years with a lot of hard work and lots of dollars of private investment by the owners. They now boast a huge hockey program, including a semi-pro team and high school, junior, and adult hockey leagues.

It would be difficult for a family-owned business to compete with the deep pockets. They have a wonderful figure skating program and public skating sessions.

It would be extremely difficult for a family business to compete with the deep pockets of MURA, even if it only involves public skate sessions at a new skating facility. We are so lucky to have both a family-owned ice and roller rink (Roller Odyssey) in our relatively small community. Aren't there better ways to spend our tax dollars than competing with family-owned businesses? — Chris Sinclair, Medford

We all now know that we are facing the so-called fiscal cliff. Of course, the solution is obvious to Lloyd Blankfein of Goldman Sachs, which is to cut "entitlements" such as Social Security and Medicare programs. Not so incidentally, programs for which you and I pay.

But wait. After many of the major banks caused the financial gambling mess leading up to the Great Recession, Goldman quickly reorganized itself to become a bank holding company so it would be entitled to receive billions of dollars from the taxpayers, including you and me. Beyond that, Goldman received $3.2 billion in tax breaks through the years 2008 to 2010. And Blankfein personally took home $16.1 million in 2011! Remember, sacrifice.

So, is this an exception? No! We taxpayers pay billions of dollars in subsidies and corporate welfare (entitlements). Some of these are "defense" contractors and, of course, it would be unthinkable to cut back on the Department of Defense's budget. So, dare I suggest we cut back on some of these entitlements, or is that un-American?

But all of this is just fine, folks. We in the middle class must pull in our belts and save our economy. Is that OK with you? — David Asche, Medford

Robert Warren wants the county to pay for parking for library volunteers. Why? The libraries in Jackson County are run by a private, for-profit corporation.

Let the corporation pay for the parking! When the corporation was awarded the contract they stated they could provide the necessary services and stay within the budget. Now it seems they need volunteers (read: free labor) if they are to maintain the minimum number of hours agreed upon.

Instead of paying money to East Coast CEOs perhaps the county should consider managing the libraries. Then all the money would stay in the county and some library branches might even be open more than 20 hours a week. — B.J. Buxton, Medford